Shift Bid

Daily Quote: "Don't feel like you must follow this plan, or any plan, exactly as it is written. You are different from all other people on this planet. This plan should serve as a guide but not a blueprint. Modify this plan to be your plan -- your plan becomes your blueprint. Learn to listen to your body and to make decisions about your walking and running based on how your body feels."  Allen Leigh, from his informative, running injury free, site.

Today is my day off, but I have Checker Cab shift bid at 6:00 a.m. and radiation at 9:00 a.m., and my planned run scheduled as well.

Shift bid starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. as to accommodate 839 Checker Cab drivers.  The bid is every six months and at this time will choose my cab, my shift time, and my days off.   I've been driving for Checker Cab since June 20, 1990, and with a seniority number of #25, which means I must arrive early to the bid, not an easy task since I worked 12 hours yesterday and bone tired.  My high seniority means I can pretty much bid for anything I want, therefore I chose Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays off as that would be best for my cancer treatments. My shift for the next six months will be the 61 Shift, which is 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., which is the highest booking shift with little down-time. Last and not least, I'll be driving a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria with low mileage on it! By the time I finished bidding, chatted with the other drivers, schmoozed with the road supervisors, it was 7:30 a.m.

Returned home for breakfast and studied chess before my 9:00 a.m. radiation appointment.

9:00 a.m.  My radiologist, Dr. Treadwell, is on a two week vacation, therefore his assistant took my vital signs and was alarmed at my heart rate numbers...typical situation for me, had to explain to her that I am a runner with a marathon trained heart.  She seemed puzzled, but accepted my answer.  The radiation took the usual twenty minutes with no problems nor pain.  The reception desk reminded me of tomorrow's appointment (same bat time, same bat station...the signoff after every Batman t.v. show during the 1960's...I am dating myself!) of 9:00 a.m.  I now have only 17 radiation treatments left!  I then left for the gym.

9:45 a.m.  24 Hour Fitness on Rainbow Boulevard.  Life Fitness Treadmill set to a 1% grade.  Warmup: 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph.  Intervals, 3 x .25 miles at 6.0 mph (10 minute miles).  Walking intervals, two minutes.  Cooldown, 10 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph.  Shoes: NIKE Air Structures.  No Polar Heart Rate Monitor as it's in the way of my feeding tube.

I wanted to run 4 x .25 miles today, but after my third interval felt tremendous fatigue, and decided to listen to Allen's above quote and call it a day.  My gauze drain sponge that separates my feeding tube was leaking and full of gunk...not a good thing.  I washed the stomach connection the best I could and returned home for a fresh, clean gauze.  Tomorrow I'll stock my gym back with clean gauze, Q-tips, and cloth tape, I must keep the stomach connection dry and clean as to avoid infections.  My feeding tube is a royal pain!!!

My wife's fellow employees at her bank, Nevada Federal Credit Union, has been sending me "get well cards" every week since the discovery of my cancer, they all write positive comments within the cards.  This week's card by Hallmark, was cute...and has my type of demented humor:  "A get-well riddle:  Why don't anteaters ever get sick?  Because they're full of "ANTY Bodies!"